5 Things All Kids Should Know About Nutrition

Kids should at least know some facts and guidelines to proper nutrition in order to ensure their health and well-being. Some of the information they need to know include the following:

The Importance of Physical Activities

Kids should learn the importance of physical activities for their health. For growing children, it is estimated that they need approximately 60 minutes worth of physical activities daily. This type of activity keeps them maintain a healthy weight aside from keeping them strong and well. Some studies even point to either moderate or vigorous physical activities as helpful in the children's improvement of critical thinking skills and GPA. The health classes promote the execution of physical activities but it is the physical education classes that execute this. PE classes hold different physical exercises such as jogging, jumping jacks, stretching and even push ups. These classes hold as well different sports activities such as swimming, tennis, soccer, basketball, volleyball, etc. The idea behind why health subjects teach the importance of physical activities is that they want to impart that these aid not just the physical aspect but the mental, social, and emotional development of the children.

The Importance of Balanced Meals

Kids should also be taught about the importance of eating balanced meals. The types of foods emphasized should consist of the fruits & vegetables (ex. spinach, cabbage, carrots, grape fruit, mangoes, etc), meat & dairy products (ex. beef, pork, chicken and milk) as well as the wheat & carbohydrates group (ex. whole grain, oatmeal, brown rice, etc.). Fruits and vegetables are considered as the "glow group". This food group is low in fat but are packed with vitamins, minerals & other antioxidants. The meat and dairy products is the group that is high in protein. They help us attain strong bones and muscles. The wheat and carbohydrates group is the one that is considered the "energy giving" foods. Whole wheat is also rich in fiber which aids in proper digestion.

The Threat of Eating Disorders

Part of ensuring proper nutrition is watching out for eating disorders. Anyone can be a "victim" of eating disorders but this type of sickness is more rampant among teens as well as young adults. It is best that kids be educated about this while early. Eating disorders could actually be deadly. Ten percent of those who suffer from it die due to this illness. Thus, it is of utmost importance to get professional help if one has the symptoms.

The main types of eating disorders can be categorized into three. These are bulimia, anorexia and compulsive overeating. With bulimia there is a fear of weight gain so that there is both binging and purging in the form of vomiting that factors into the equation. Some signs that one is bulimic include a sore throat, bloodshot eyes and vomiting. With anorexia one severely restricts calorie intake also due to the fear of gaining weight. Other signs that one is anorexic include includes severe weight loss, use of diet pills. weird eating rituals and patterns, paleness, dizziness, headaches and sleep troubles. While with compulsive overeating, the symptoms include hiding food just to eat it later on, believing that food is his only friend, having high blood pressure and having high cholesterol.

The Importance of Food Safety Precautions

Kids have at one time or another eaten their meals away from their homes. It could be from the lunchbox or through takeout. The important lesson should be on proper food handling when eating outside of home to prevent diseases borne from food. The guidelines could include washing their hands often. It could also include reminders not to keep out of the refrigerator those foods that could easily spoil. Raw meats should also be separated from those food which are ready-to-eat.

Subject Matter Websites for Nutrition

  1. Balance Your Nutrition
  2. Body Composition Laboratory
  3. The Diet Channel
  4. The Diet Detective
  5. Diondine
  6. Dr. Rath Research
  7. Energy Ent- Nutrition Industry Experts
  8. Healthy Choice
  9. Nutrition Explorations
  10. Nutrition Matters
  11. Nutrition.gov
  12. The pH Balance Evaluation
  13. Understanding Food Labels